WELCOME BACK!
TO THE SHOW-GRAM, ALREADY BROADCASTING ACROSS THIS GREAT
NATION OF OURS, PLUS ALASKA AND HAWAII.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY FIRST
GUEST TONIGHT IS A RHODES SCHOLAR, NAVY VETERAN,
TWO-TERM MAYOR OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AND IS CURRENTLY
RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
PLEASE WELCOME, MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )
>> Stephen: THANKS FOR COMING BACK.
>> SURE THING.
>> Stephen: NICELY TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> GOOD TO BE BACK.
>> Stephen: YOU KNOW, THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE, PEOPLE
DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT YOU AT THE TIME.
YOU JUST HAD GOTTEN INTO THE RACE, MAYOR OF SOUTH BEND, WHO
IS THIS GUY?
WE HAD YOU ON, WHEN YOU LEFT, I TURNED TO MY PRODUCER OVER THERE
AND I SAID, WOW, I REALLY FELT LIKE THAT GUY WAS GIVING ME REAL
ANSWERS, WHAT HE THOUGHT, HE WAS REALLY THERE.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) BECAUSE A LOT OF POLITICIANS CAN
BE VERY MANNERED, VERY PRACTICED.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL FOR A WHILE, HOW
REAL ARE YOU?
( LAUGHTER ) OR DO YOU HAVE HANDLERS
MESSAGING YOU ALL THE TIME?
>> IT'S ALL GONE.
IT'S ALL PROGRAMMED NOW.
( LAUGHTER ) NO, IT JUST TAKES SO MUCH WORK
TO BE SOMEONE THEY TELL YOU TO BE, AND BEING MYSELF HAS WORKED
OUT PRETTY WELL.
>> Stephen: WELL, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU DECLARED?
>> WE STARTED THE COMMITTEE THE JANUARY AND IN APRIL WE LAUNCHED
OFFICIALLY.
>> Stephen: SO WE'RE ABOUT FIVE MONTHS IN NOW.
HOW HAS THE TRAIL BEEN TREATING YOU BECAUSE IT CAN BE ROUGH.
>> IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND FUN RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE REALLY BUILDING THE GROUND GAME, WE'RE
IN IOWA OPENING 20 OFFICES IN 20 DAYS.
WE'RE MEETING THE SAME FOLKS MORE THAN ONCE, GETTING TO KNOW
HIM.
I WAS REUNITED WITH A KID WHO SMACKED ME IN THE FACE RECENTLY.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: WHAT HAPPENED?
WE WERE OPENING AN OFFICE IN CEDAR RAPIDS, THIS WOMAN HAS A
TODDLER IN HER ARMS.
SHE SAID DO YOU REMEMBER MY SON?
I SAID, HE'S FAMILIAR.
SHE SAID HE'S THE ONE WHO SMACKED YOU IN THE FACE.
I SAID, I REMEMBER.
THEY BROUGHT HIM, HE WAS ON A ROPE LINE, I WAS SHAKING HANDS
AFTER A SPEECH.
WHEN I MEET A KID, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THEM GIVE YOU A HIGH FIVE,
NOT OLD ENOUGH FOR A HAND SHAKE.
I MISJUDGED.
THE KID WAS NOT QUITE OLD ENOUGH TO GET THE HIGH-FIVE CONCEPT,
AND, SO, HE JUST WHACKED ME.
AND HE WAS KIND OF AWARE ENOUGH TO KNOW FROM EVERYBODY'S
REACTION THAT'S NOT WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AND THEN HE
CURLED UP AND WAS SHY AND STARTED TO CRY.
I SAID, IT'S OKAY.
IT DIDN'T HURT, IT WILL BE FINE.
>> Stephen: I'M AN AFGHAN VETERAN.
BRING IT.
( LAUGHTER ) >> I FEEL THIS KID WILL HAVE A
GOOD STORY TO TELL.
>> Stephen: AT THE CNN TOWN HALL ON CLIMATE CHANGE, SEVEN
HOURS, WHAT HOUR DID THEY CONSIGN YOU TO?
>> I THINK I WAS THE FIFTH HOUR.
I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE CNN FOLKS, THE CREW WERE HOLDING
UP.
>> Stephen: HOW DID THE AUDIENCE HOLD UP FOR THAT LONG?
>> I THINK THEY SWAPPED THEM OUT.
>> Stephen: HOSED THEM DOWN AND SENT THEM BACK IN.
( LAUGHTER ) LAST NIGHT IN THE TOWN HALL
CLIMATE CHANGE, YOU CALLED THE CLIMATE CHANGE A SIN.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: IN WHAT WAY IS CLIMATE CHANGE A TRANSGRESSION
OF GOD'S LAWS?
>> I'M NOT OUT TO IMPOSE MY FAITH ON ANYBODY ELSE --
>> Stephen: IS THIS SHARIA LAW?
>> I'M EPISCOPALIAN.
OUR SHARIA LAW IS CALLED THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, AND
THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN THERE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, THERE'S A
LOT OF STUFF IN THERE ABOUT STEWARDSHIP FOR CREATION.
TO ME, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ISN'T JUST ABOUT TAKING CARE OF
THE PLANET, IT'S TAKING CARE OF OUR NEIGHBOR, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES.
THE BIGGEST THING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT JUST GOING TO HURT
THE PLANET, IN SOME WAY SHAPE OR FORM THE PLANET WILL STILL BE
HERE, IT'S WE'RE HURTING PEOPLE.
PEOPLE WHO ARE ALIVE NOW AND TO BE BORN IN THE FUTURE, THE WAY I
SEE IT, I DON'T IMAGINE GOD'S GOING TO LET US OFF THE GOOD FOR
ABUSING FUTURE GENERATIONS ANYMORE THAN HARMING SOMEONE
NEXT TO YOU.
WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WE'RE GOING TO BOTH.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: ONE THING THAT'S
SORT OF INTERESTING TO ME IS THAT YOU ARE THE CANDIDATE, AS
FAR AS I CAN TELL, WHO IS TALKING ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL
FAITH MORE THAN THE OTHER CANDIDATES ON THE DEMOCRATIC
SIDE, AND THE G.O.P. HAS GONE A LONG WAY OVER THE LAST
GENERATION OF TRYING TO MAKE THEMSELVES THE CHRISTIAN PARTY
OR THE PARTY OF FAITH.
WHERE DO YOU SEE FAITH PROPERLY INFLUENCING YOUR JOB AS A
POLITICIAN?
>> WELL, I THINK DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE ALLERGIC TO
TALKING ABOUT FAITH, AND IT'S LARGELY FOR A VERY GOOD REASON,
WHICH IS THAT WE PASSIONATELY BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING
FOR OFFICE OR IN OFFICE, YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TREAT
PEOPLE OF ANY RELIGION AND PEOPLE OF NO RELIGION EQUALLY.
IT'S A BASIC AMERICAN PRINCIPLE.
( APPLAUSE ) BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AS WE SEE
SOME OF THESE FIGURES ON THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT EMBRACE BEHAVIOR
AND I THINK POLICIES BUT DEFINITELY BEHAVIOR THAT FLIES
IN THE FACE NOT JUST OF MY VALUES BUT OF THEIR OWN, THEN IT
REMINDS ME OF ALL OF THE PARTS OF SCRIPTURE WHERE THERE IS A
LOT ABOUT HYPOCRISY, AND I THINK WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO CALL
THAT OUT AND TO SPEAK ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE CHRISTIAN
FAITH TRADITION THAT I BELONG TO BUT PRETTY MUCH ANY RELIGIOUS OR
NON-RELIGIOUS GROUP EEVER HEARD OF TELLS US IT'S IMPORTANT HOW
WE TREAT THE LEAST AMONG US, THE MOST VULNERABLE, THE
MARGINALIZED, WE'RE OBLIGED TO SERVE THE POOR, HEAL THE SICK,
WELCOME THE STRANGER -- ANOTHER WORD FOR IMMIGRANT -- AND WHAT
WE'RE SEEING IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS THE OPPOSITE.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Announcer: WELL, WE HAVE A
DEBATE NEXT WEEK, NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT.
WE'RE LIVE, NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT, AFTERWARDS, TO MAKE JOKES ABOUT
WHATEVER YOU SAID, AND GIVE ME SOMETHING GOOD, PLEASE.
>> I'LL DO MY BEST.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE POLLING AT 5% NATIONALLY, OKAY.
PEOPLE HAVE SAID, OH, THERE'S THE TOP THREE, BIDEN, WARREN AND
SANDERS, AND THEN THERE'S THE SECOND TIER -- NO OFFENSE, IT'S
NOT ME, IT'S THEM SAYING IT -- I THINK YOU'RE TOPNOTCH.
>> SOME ARE SAYING IT'S TIER 1B, JUST FOR THE RECORD.
>> Stephen: OH, REALLY?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> YES.
>> Stephen: SPOKEN LIKE SOMEONE WHO DID A LOT OF
OUTLINES IN SCHOOL.
SO YOU'RE POLLING 5% NATIONALLY.
HOW DO YOU CUT INTO IT?
IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE AN IMPRESSION IN A
DEBATE?
WHAT'S YOUR STRATEGY?
>> WELL, I THINK NOW THAT -- THERE ARE STILL AN AWFUL LOT OF
US.
>> Stephen: ONLY TEN IN THE DEBATE.
>> NOW THAT IT'S STARTING TO WINNOW DOWN, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING
FOR THE CONTRASTS, AND IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR ME TO CONVEY
HOW I'M DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHERS.
I LIKE AND APPRECIATE THE OTHERS BUT I'M NOT LIKE THE OTHERS.
IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF STYLE, IT'S A MATTER OF APPROACH.
I'M NOT MAKING SOME OF THE PROMISES THAT SOME OF THE
CANDIDATES TO MY LEFT ARE.
I SHARE THE GOALS AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT WILL BRING AMERICANS
TOGETHER.
THE IDEA OF MEDICARE FOR ALL WHO WANT IT, I AGREE WE SHOULD HAVE
UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE AND I AGREE WE SHOULD HAVE A PUBLIC
ALTERNATIVE AND THE PUBLIC ALTERNATIVE WILL BE BETTER.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AMERICANS CHOOSE.
I THINK THESE WILL SURFACE IN THE DEBATE.
I'M INTERESTED IN MOVING THE COUNTRY FORWARD.
WE'VE GOTTEN STUCK IN REPEATING DEBATES THAT HAVE BEEN DRIEWNT
AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN ALIVE.
IF YOU START THE CLOCK IN THE EARLY '80s WHEN I WAS BORN,
THAT'S ABOUT THE TIME THAT A LOT OF THINGS SLOWED DOWN OR STOPPED
IN THIS COUNTRY FROM WAGE GROWTH FOR MOST AMERICANS TO PROGRESS
ON A LOT OF ISSUES OF EQUITY AND THE NEW ISSUES THAT EMERGED LIKE
CLIMATE.
WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.
SO WE CAN TALK ALL DAY ABOUT WHOSE PLAN HAS THE EXACT RIGHT
YEAR FOR WHOSE TARGET WE'LL DEKAR BONNIZE.
WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE TO GET IT DONE THIS TIME?
THAT IS A MATTER OF BREAKING FROM THE PAST AND BRINGING A
DIFFERENT APPROACH TO RALLYING AMERICANS NOT NECESSARILY
THROUGH IDEOLOGICAL CENTRISM BUT ENLISTING AMERICANS IN THE NAME
OF THE VALUES WE SHARE TO GET SOMETHING DONE BEFORE IT'S TOO
LATE.
>> Stephen: IDEOLOGICAL CENTRISM, ARE YOU SAYING THAT TO
MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GET PIGEON HOLED INTO THE THINGS THE PRESS
ARE TALKING ABOUT.
WHERE DO YOU FALL IN THE ARTIFICIAL SPLIT?
I DEMAND YOU PIGEON HOLE YOURSELF.
>> I VIEW MYSELF AS A PROGRESSIVE PHILOSOPHICALLY.
I ALSO THINK THERE'S MORE TO THIS THAN THE LEFT TO CENTER
LINE.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO REFORM THE SUPREME
COURT OR THAT WE NEED TO START IF WE WANT TO CALL OURSELVES A
DEMOCRACY, WE OUGHT TO PICK OUR PRESIDENT BY JUST COUNTING UP
ALL THE VOTES AND GIVING IT TO THE PERSON WHO GOT THE VOTES.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO BE
PARTICULARLY LEFT OR CENTER TO BELIEVE THAT, BUT I DO THINK
IT'S A BOLD INITIATIVE IN ADDITION TO THE THINGS THAT WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT AS A PARTY, LIKE THE NEED FOR A
HIGHER MINIMUM-WAGE OR ACTION ON GUN SAFETY OR CLIMATE, THAT WE
HAVE TO DO THOSE PROFOUND THINGS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WILL ALWAYS LINE ITSELF UP ON A LEFT-RIGHT
SPECTRUM.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A COUNTRY SO A GENERATION
FROM NOW WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT YET ANOTHER GENERATION THAT
LIVED THROUGH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, ANOTHER SET OF LOST DECADES --
RIGHT NOW THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT IS GOING UP AND LIFE
EXPECTANCY IS GOING DOWN.
THAT SHOULD BEEN POSSIBLE.
SHAME ON US IF A GENERATION FROM NOW WE'RE HAVING THE SAME
DEBATES AND NOTHING'S CHANGED.
>> Stephen: A BRIEF BREAK.
BACK WITH MORE MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG!